Support for limbs.



(No Model) xoS/L WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY Tus Nom msng co, moruumo.. wAsnmm'oN. n. c.v

MYRON H. BIGSBY, OF KIRKSVILLE, MISSOURI.

SUPPORT- FOR LlVlBS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters` Application iiled May 20, 1901.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, MYRON I-LBIGSBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kirksville, in the county of Adair'and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Supports for Limbs to be Treated, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of devices for supporting limbs to be treated, and has particular relation to that class of such devices which are adapted for suspending or otherwise supporting parts of the patients body in desirable positions for treatment.

The objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of this kind of superior construction and arrangement of parts whereby the position of the limbs or other parts of the body may be properlysupported or readily changed or adjusted and to produce certain improvements in details of construction and arrangement of parts,which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved device. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the upper portion of the supportinghook and head. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the head shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line x :c of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the upper portion of one of the supporting-straps. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a portion ofthe head-carrying tubesection. Fig. 7 is a similar view of a modiiied form of hook-rod head, illustrating the manner of connecting the suspending-strap therewith; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged view in elevation of the head shown in Fig. 7.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention I employ a hook or supporting body, which, as indicated in the drawings, may consist of the lower rodsection 1, having its lower termination in the form of a hook 2, upon which is mounted a curved cushion 3, the latter preferably being in the nature ot an inflated air-cushion.

4 represents the upper and head-supporting section of the hook-body, which when said Patent NO. 705,024, dated. July 22, 1902. Serial No. 61,059. (No model.)

hook-body is formed of the two sections described is adjustably connected with the lower section 1 in the manner hereinafter described. It is obvious, however, that the upper and lowersections l and 4 might be formed integrally, if desired, in which case the means of adjustably connecting the same, hereinafter described, might be omitted. The upper section 4, which is tubular in form throughout the greater portion of its length, has its upper end terminating in a solid threaded stem 5, upon which is mounted, as hereinafter described, a strap-retaining head.. The upper end of the section 1 telescopes Within the section 4 and terminates in a reduced threaded stem portion 6. The lower portion of the hollow section 4 is provided with a vertically-arranged slotted opening 7, from which extend lateral recess-arms 8, which terminate in rounded enlargements 8a. Within the lower portion of the slotted opening 7 is adapted to be held a catch-bar 9, the upper portion of which is curved outwardly, said catch-bar being provided wit-l1 laterallyextending arms 9, terminating in enlargements, which said arms and enlargements bear within the recessed arms S and their enlargements 8f. provided with an inturned projection 10, which is adapted to engage the desired one of two or more notches or peripheral recesses 11, which are formed in the body of the seetion 1. The latch-bar 9 is adapted to be clamped in its connection with the slotted and recessed portions of the section 4 through the medium of a friction-ring 12, which embraces said section and latch-bar in the manner shown more clearly in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The upper end portion 5 of the section 4 is suitably connected with a laterallyprojecting yoke-like head 13, this yoke-head having pivoted eccentrically between the arms 13 thereof a cam roller orbody 14, the periphery of which maybe toothed or roughened, as indicated at 149'. The cam-roller 14 thus formed is provided at one or both of its ends with suitable operating cranks or handles 15. Connected with one of the yokearms 13LL of the head 13 is an upwardly and inwardly extending spring brake-strip 16, which by exerting a spring contact or pressure The lowerend of this catch-bar 9 is on the cam-roller 14 serves to assist in preventingthe latter from voluntarily swinging outward when turned inward in the'manner hereinafter described.

17 represents a releasing bar or lever,which extends vertically downward between the arms of the head-yoke 13 in rear of the camroller 14, this lever-bar 17 having its upper end secured in connection with a supportingspring 18, which curves outwardly, downward/ly, and thence inwardly, and has its remaining end secured to the outer portion of the head 13. The lower end of the lever-bar 17 terminates in a suitable linger-piece or pull-handle 17a, the latter preferably having a lateral frame -like extension 17h, which loosely surrounds the section 4. In its upper portion and on its forward side the lever-bar 17 carries a binding plate or shoe 19, the latter having its upper portion and outer side beveled or inclined, as indicated at 20, on opposite sides of the center of its width. Passing through threaded openings in the outer or cross bar of the head-yoke 13 are set or adjusting screws 21, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) the latter being adapted to be brought into frictional contact with the rear side of the shoe 19 when in the paths of the inclined portions 2O thereof.

Below the head 13 above described I may provide the section 4 with laterally-extending parallel arms 22, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) between which may be journaled on a transverse shaft 23 a reel or spool 24, the latter being connected with the shaft 23 through the medium of a coiled spring which surrounds said shaft, one end of which is connected with the shaft and the remaining end of which is connected with the reel. Upon the reel 24 is adapted to be wound a suspending-strap 25, this strap leading from the reel upward between the cam-body 18 and the lever plate or shoe 19 and having a terminal ring 26, with which is adapted to be engaged one of the hook terminations of a strap or cord 27, which passes upward over a suitably ysuspended and journaled pulley 28 and has itsremaining hook-termination adapted to engage the top ring of the suspending-strap of a second supporting device which may correspond with that herein described. It will thus be understood that although but one of the adjustable supporting devices and hook-bodies is herein shown and described said devices are adapted to be used in pairs.

It is obvious that the length of the hookbody may be increased or decreased in accordance with the extent to which the section 1 is telescoped within the section 4.

In order to facilitate the engaging of the ring 26 with a ceiling-hooksuch as that which supports the pulley 28 or with a hook of the strap 27 or other supporting device, I provide the upper portion of the strap 25 with metallic binding-blocks 29, with the hook projections of which is detachably engaged, as iu dicated more clearly in Fig. 5, the upper poi'- tion of a downwardly-extending handle-rod 30, which handle-rod may be used in raising or lowering said strap and its top ring.

' In utilizing the device, as herein described, the cushioned hook 2 is designed to be engaged with a leg or other part of the body which it is desired to support or elevate to a proper position for treatment. It will be seen that when the cam-body 14 is so turned as to cause the same to bind the strap firmly between the shoe 19 and said cam-body the latter will serve to securely hold the strap against slipping or un'winding from the reel. In order to release this engagement of the strap and cam-body, however, and permit an adjustment 4in the length of the strap, the lever-bar 17 may be pulled downward until the inner ends of the adjustable screws 21 are at such points within the recessed portions 20 of the block 19 to relieve the bind ing action of the shoe on the strap. Itisobvious, however, that when the downward pull on the bar 17 is discontinued and said bar is released the spring 18 will operate to raise the same until a binding or clamping of the strap between the cam and shoe is again attained. In order to preventthe cam turning too far inward or making a complete revolution and at the same time preventing the shoe 19 from slipping downward, I may provide said shoe on its opposite side with pro j ecting pins 20,with which the operatinghandles 15 of the cam may contact, said pins thus serving as astop against further movement of the cam.

In case the spring-actuated reel 24 is not employed, it is obvious that the strap 25 may simply depend from the head 13.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a comparatively simple means of adj ustably supporting the hook-rod 11, which consists in detaching said rod-section 11 from the section 4 and screwing its threaded upper end 6 into vengagement with a yoke-body 31, this yokebody being provided between its arms with a journaled roller 32, about which is looped the supporting-strap 25, the end of this strap being adapted to be adj ustably connected with therbody thereof through an ordinary slip-lock 33, or by other well-known means of adjustment.

From the construction herein shown and described it will be seen that a simple and desirable device or mechanism is provided for adjustably supporting or suspending the body or parts of the body of a patient in desirable positions for osteopathic and similar treatment.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isf- 1. In a device for Asupporting limbs to be treated, the combination with a hook-body, a yoke-like head mounted thereon and a cambody 14 eccentrically j ournalcd in said head,

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of a bar 17 extending through said head in rear of the cam-body, said bar having its upper end provided with a yielding support, a strap depending between said cam-body and bar 17 and adapted to be clamped between said parts and means for supporting the upper portion of said strap above said head, substantially as specified.

2. In a device for supporting limbs to be,

treated, the combination with a hook-rod having a cushioned hook portion 2, a yoke-like head carried on the upper end of said rod and a locking-cam journaled in said head, of a spring-supported bar 17 depending in rear of said locking-cam, a binding-shoe 19 carried on said bar 17 and having inclined upper portions as described, adjustable screws 21 extending on opposite sides of thebar 17 and adapted to contact with said shoe and a suspending-strap supported from a point above the head 13 and passing between said shoe and cam-body, substantially as specified.

3. In a device for supporting limbs to be treated, the combination with a hook-body comprising a lower section 11 having a cushioned hook-termination and a hollow upper section L within which said lower section telescopes an'd means for detachably and adjustably connecting said sections, of a yoke-like head for said Lipper section, a locking-cam 14 journaled therein, a spring-supported bar 17 depending in rear of said cam and a suspend- :ing-strap supported from a point above said head and depending between said cam and bar, substantially as specified.

4. In a device for supporting limbs 'to be treated, the combination with a hook-body, a yoke-like head mounted thereon and a strap binding or clamping mechanism connected with said head, of a reel 24 journaled below said head, a spring connecting said bodywith a journaled rod or shaft and a strap adapted to `wind on said reel by action of the spring and means for suspending the strap from a point above the head 13, substantially as specified.

MYRON H. BIGSBY. In presence of- J. T. VAUGHN, F. C. TRAvERsE. 

